Chapter 4: The Logical Emperor and the Selfless Empress

  Valerius adjusted his cloak as he stepped away from the tent, his crimson eyes fixed on the distant horizon.

  “Your Majesty,” a voice called behind him. A figure approached, falling in line beside him. “Where are you going? The commanders await your next orders.”

  “I need air,” Valerius replied, his tone cool.

  “We’re in unfamiliar nd. It may not be safe to go alone.”

  Valerius didn’t slow his pace. “If something can stop me, then perhaps I don’t deserve to lead.”

  The figure fell silent, unsure how to respond.

  Valerius gnced at him briefly. “Stay with the others. I won’t be long.”

  Without waiting for a reply, he disappeared into the shadows of Lirielle—drawn by something he couldn’t yet name, but would soon come to know.

  Val’s life had always been guided by one thing—logic. As the son of Dracu, he had long abandoned sentiment, ruling through reason and power. His empire thrived not because of kindness or compassion, but because of order and precision. Every conquest, every war, was a calcuted step toward a world where weakness had no pce.

  He was feared. Respected. Untouchable.

  And yet, for all his strategies, for all his power, one kingdom had eluded him. One empress had defied him time and time again.

  Lysara Everdawn.

  A few weeks ter, however, fate had shifted.

  The dense, mist-covered forest stretched endlessly before him as he moved through the shadows. He had been on his way to assess his army’s next assault when an unexpected sight made him pause.

  Ahead, standing among the trees, was she.

  Lysara.

  She was breathtaking even now, her long blue hair catching the faint moonlight, her posture regal despite the exhaustion that weighed on her. Her presence should have been commanding, yet something was off. She was holding her chest, her breaths uneven, her stance slightly unsteady. And around her, a group of children huddled behind her, their wide, fearful eyes watching him.

  Val’s instincts sharpened. He took a slow step forward, and at the same time, Lysara’s eyes flickered—a deep violet hue shifting into a soft, sorrowful blue.

  He moved in a blur, closing the distance between them.

  Lysara gasped, stumbling backward as her body betrayed her. The pain in her chest grew unbearable, her vision swimming. She clutched at her heart, her breath hitching. She needed to run. She needed to escape.

  But the children—

  “Go!” she ordered, her voice shaking. “Now!”

  The children hesitated, their small hands clinging to her dress, but she forced a reassuring smile. They had to get away. Even if it meant she had to face Val alone.

  Her legs wobbled. Her body was failing her.

  And in that moment, she knew—she wouldn’t be able to stop him this time.

  But at the very least, she could buy the children enough time.

  She turned to run, but her chest tightened in unbearable pain, locking her in pce. A sharp gasp left her lips as she colpsed to her knees. Her fingers curled into the dirt, her body trembling, refusing to move.

  Val watched her with narrowed eyes.

  She was weak.

  Not in power—no, he knew what she was capable of. But in this moment, she was fragile, vulnerable.

  Something inside him twisted.

  “Why?” he asked, voice even, calcuted. “Why sacrifice yourself for mere children? You are an empress. You are all your kingdom has. If you die here, your kingdom will fall.”

  Lysara forced herself to look up, her vision hazy, but her resolve unbroken. “Because I can’t let them die,” she said softly. “I can’t watch innocent lives be taken while I stand by and do nothing. If I have to give up my life so they can live, then so be it.”

  Val frowned. Her answer was… illogical.

  “You’re a strategist,” he reminded her. “You know this isn’t the logical choice. If you fall, your kingdom falls. Is that not more important than a handful of children?”

  Lysara smiled faintly despite the pain wracking her body. “Maybe that’s what makes me different from you, Val.” Her voice was soft, almost teasing. “You think with your mind. I live with my heart.”

  Val stared at her for a long moment, something unreadable fshing in his crimson eyes.

  Then, before Lysara could react, he moved.

  Faster than she could comprehend, his arms wrapped around her, lifting her effortlessly.

  She gasped. “W-What—”

  “You’re coming with me,” he said simply.

  Lysara’s eyes widened, panic flickering through her expression. “No—put me down! You can’t—”

  “You’ll die out here,” he cut her off, his tone cold, indifferent. “And you’re more useful to me alive.”

  She struggled weakly, but her strength had already left her. Her body refused to move.

  Val tightened his grip, his eyes unreadable. “Your kingdom is impossible to invade. I cannot break it from the outside. But now…” He gnced down at her, his voice ced with dangerous amusement. “Perhaps I don’t have to.”

  Lysara’s heart pounded.

  She had spent her entire life outmaneuvering Val.

  But now, she was in his hands.

  And for the first time… she had no idea what would happen next.